Hufflepuff Hijinks
by Zilpha Bilha
Summary: After four fine years at Hogwarts of study and keeping a secret that no one must know, though it is not a very bad secret, in her own opinion, Nancy Frost is about to start a true adventure in her fifth year in which life will become more complicated with new hijinks and characters in her story


**Hello all! This is an updated version of my prologue. Thank you for the guest review, it was so encouraging and right! I do tend to write and act in haste when starting a new story because it's so exiting! I hope you enjoy this, and I think I will truly enjoy writing this story for many more chapters to come.**

There was one thing that Nancy Frost loved undoubtedly, and that was a good train. She remarked on it often when on a particularly fine train or even when she would drift off into the travel of her daydreams, she would simply say ' I love a train.' Though her family had a car, and indeed her own father was teaching her to drive herself, she would still prefer the gentle rocking of the train as it took you through the back garden of Britain, like a moving gallery, some even equipped with their own restaurants. No, a motorway would simply not do.

One of Nancy's favourite trains had become known to her when she was eleven years old and had received a letter informing her that she was a witch and that she was invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. None were more surprised than her non-magic parents, who they later learned were referred to as 'muggles' and who also thought the letter was a cruel prank on a naive child. However, a surprise visit from Professor Sprout to their home after they failed to respond to the letter finally lifted the clouds of mystery on that matter.

Since that chaotic visit, in which Professor Sprout brought a magical singing plant as a gift for the Frosts, Nancy had been attending Hogwarts school for four years, having been sorted fortuously into Hufflepuff house, which Nancy could not be more pleased about. Nancy held a secret however, which she shared with neither her parents nor her closest friends, but she remained calm in the fact that it was not malicious nor negatively affecting those around her, it was simply her secret study and joy which may or may not get her expelled were it known.

So, like the four years before, Nancy said goodbye to her parents at Kings Cross station before boarding the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4, something her parents said they would never get their minds around, and Kings Cross Station was difficult to navigate at even the less busy times.

Once on the long anticipated train, time seemed to slow down and the atmosphere settled, as the rush and panic of school shopping and pre year family panic about Nancy being away from home was left behind on the platform

The new school year was about to begin.

-

Nancy had boarded the train just in time as the parting from her parents and little brother Jon had been prolonged after Jon, now seven and old enough to know why Nancy was going away, had kicked up a fuss which required much soothing from the parents and Nancy.

'I'll be back by Christmas, just like last year.'

'But I want to go too' Jon pushed out his bottom lip and stomped one foot.

'In a few years I'm sure you'll be there!' Nancy's mother, Nora Frost, put a hand on Jon's shoulder. The maternal reassurance seemed to appease the distraught boy somewhat. Gene Frost stood back, unsettled still by the letter Nancy had received four years ago, never truly able to comprehend the whole situation, which he once even suggested was an evil experiment run by the government on the behaviour of children masquerading as a boarding school. He was always quiet on the way to Kings Cross and Nancy sometimes wondered why he bothered to come at all sometimes, since he would barely say a word.

The train whistle blew and Nancy stood back up and ruffled Jon's hair. 'See you soon then, and I'll send you letters with Freddie so you won't have to miss him either!' At this Jon brightened.

Nora Frost embraced her daughter 'Now make sure you do write as often as you can, and let me know if you need anything'

'I will mum' Said Nancy, burying her face in her mother's gloriously feathered hair which smelled like apricot.

'Bye dad' and father and daughter hugged and he gave her a hearty pat on the back.

'Behave yourself' he said, though it was obvious he said his as a vague statement, not truly understanding what she did at Hogwarts.

The second whistle went and Nancy had to run to hop on to the already moving train, waving goodbye to the party of three as they faded away.

Walking down the train looking into each compartment to find her friends and housemates, Katherine King and Mary Thomas, Nora took the opportunity to gauge the atmosphere of the year, for truly the year began on the train, and always began how it meant to go on. The compartment of first year Gryffindors huddled around their first charms book was cute in Nora's opinion and made her nostalgic herself. However, she tried quickly to pass the compartment of seventh year Ravenclaws when she saw it wasn't her friends, the NEWTs would be upon them soon and she was sure one of them was the burly but handsome Quidditch captain. After passing several compartments and even bumping into Regulus Black in the corridor, who though courteous in standing aside to let her pass, seemed utterly alarmed when his eyes fell on her jeans, original flared jeans which she had spent all summer hunting through magazines until she phoned a supplier who still had stock left. All in all, things _felt _calm, unlike the last year when tensions around the Quidditch cup had even begun on the platform.

'Thanks' she said as she sidled past Black, he looking as though standing on ceremony. His overt poshness could only make her laugh, until she remembered who the fourth year's family and friends were, and that only threatened to dampen her mood.

She at last fell upon her friends, and found Kate and Mary both absorbed in what sounded like an intense discussion.

'Listen, if Timothy Butler thinks that I'm going to let him take over the mentoring rota, he can think again, I spent the last two years guiding the first years smoothly into school life, organising it all myself, why does Flitwick have to interfere just because one of his house students-' Kate was cut off by Mary who responded only by putting her head in her hands and groaning

'Again, this way you _won't _have to do it all by yourself, because Timothy-'

'That's not the point, it's the principle of the-' Kate stopped in her speech when she looked up and saw Nora watching.

'Nora!' Kate's thunderous expression brightened.

'We were beginning to think you missed the train!' Said Mary standing up.

'I nearly actually did!' Nora pulled her friends into a hug and there was much giggling and appraising of each other's health. Nora stowed her bag into the overhead and took her seat.

'So what's all this about Timothy Butler then?' Nora asked with a smirk as the mention of the name seemed to put Kate into a fury again.

'You won't believe it, Professor Flitwick wrote just a week ago telling me he was going to let Timothy Butler _help _me organise the mentors this year, as if I am unable to, and because _he _is a Ravenclaw-'

'Or it might be because Professor thinks you'll want to half the workload his year since you'll have more studying to do' offered Mary. 'She just won't let it go Nora'

'I though Timothy stopped being a mentor in third year anyway' asked Nora, remembering the Ravenclaw had ironically declared himself simply too busy to bother with first years and those younger than himself.

'Yes! Exactly!' said Kate, brightening at the promise of some support, 'he's only starting again since he got top marks in the year in Charms last year, off-the-scale marks apparently, and now he must now gift all of us with his knowledge' Kate sat back pouting.

Nora and Mary looked at each and a smile slowly crept onto their faces as they both began to think the same thing.

'Kate?' Said Mary.

'Hmm?' Kate simply looked out of the window.

'This is has nothing to do with the fact that Timothy beat you in the charms contest last year, breaking your record?' Nora said tentatively but with good humour, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth.

'Well of course it has everything to do with that. Why do you think I'm so angry, my pride is injured' Kate looked looked out of the window and took on an exaggerated air of poetic melancholy. Nora loved this about Kate, that she would not pretend, be who she was without apology, in all her loud glory.

'Well what's the fuss then?' Mary said, slouching back, breathing as if she had been holding her breath this whole time.

'Can't a girl air her anger?' Kate said, looking relieved now that the cause of her anger was out in the open, not that she was really hiding it in the first place.

The three girls looked at each for a few quiet moment before bursting into laughter, Nora had truly missed her friends and was glad to finally be back with them.

'Well now that we've cleared that up' said Mary, 'can I ask, how we all are?'

They fell into their annual ritual of recalling their summers, even though they wrote all summer, sometimes even visited each other. Nora wished she could invite them to her family's home one day, but with her father, she knew it was out of the question as the topic of Hogwarts would provoke arguments among Nora and Gene Frost and Nancy was ashamed to feel that she would be hugely embarrassed if her friends should see this.

'I can't believe we all made it to prefects!' Mary mused, laughter was coursing through her words.

'Professor Sprout told me in person at the end of last year, as you'll remember' Kate sat up straighter, Nancy and Mary never looked prouder.

'I couldn't believe when I got my letter, after my conversation with Professor Flitwick last year' Nancy joined, her voice barely cracking.

'Flitwick didn't mean it' Kate put a hand on Nancy's arm. 'He didn't'.

Nancy's mind went back towards the end of last year when she finally got better than usual grades in Charms, it being her more volatile of subjects. Nancy couldn't believe it and she couldn't wait to tell Kate and Mary, and she even found herself walking towards Flitwick's podium, not knowing what she was doing, and thanked him for his lessons this year telling of how much she was enjoying Charms despite struggling. When Professor Flitwick replied with kind amusement in his voice, she could have cried.

'To be honest Miss Frost, I'm glad you are finally shining through, because I have to say you have rather slipped through the cracks before now' Nancy felt a lump in her throat and the benevolence in the Professor's eyes only made the tears well up. Nancy quickly thanked him again and almost ran back to the common room. She knew she was middling in many subjects, but she did not think she had become invisible. The professor's insight even made her question her pursuit of her own secret endeavour, it had taken so much of her time that it must have started affecting her grades and presence at school. Nancy's source of so much enjoyment had become a burden in a moment.

'I know it was well meant' Nancy said, pushing the memory away. 'And I'm taking it as an encouragement for this year' Nancy knew this to be true, she didn't know she was becoming invisible at school, and she decided to reappear, so to speak.

'That's the spirit!' Kate said clapping her hands together. 'Now, dear Nancy, will you change into your robes, those those trousers are positively frightening' Kate said. The pure- blooded witch was wide-eyed, surveying the denim flares.

'Kate, this is muggle fashion, I spent all summer getting hold of original flares' Nancy laughed as she stood and spun to show off her trousers.

'I for one am a supporter of these new pantaloons' said Mary. 'I think I'll write to my mother to ask if she can find me some, though I bet my father won't approve.'

'I'll help you' Nancy said still standing 'leave it to me'

'I'm any case' Kate said, looking at her watch, 'you must change into your robes before we meet with the other prefects'.

'Of course. And don't worry, I'll get you a pair too' Nancy nudged Kate, who looked horrified. Laughter flooded the compartment once again.


End file.
